Ancient Civilizations- World History for Young Learners

In this 15-week course, elementary and middle age learners learn about civilization and time period through the text, King Fisher Illustrated History of the World or the Usborne Internet-linked Encyclopedia of the Ancient World.   Class time will be spent discussing the cultural literacy relevant to this time period: socio/economic advances, religions, languages, individuals, stories and wars which defined each civilization through an interactive multimedia power point presentation.  

No background knowledge is required.   The bulk of weekly homework consists of reading about the ancient civilizations with an occasional preparation for themed narrations/ presentations.  Weekly discussion & writing topics are given to apply what we have discussed; however, it is not required.  Grading/ comments on these essays are optional.   

Comprehension of the content is assessed as we progress through the course via reviews, narrations and suggested discussion/ writing topics & activities every week- including a final presentation on the last day of class.  Additional literature of historical fiction, classics and biographies are given as individual reading or family read aloud suggestions and supplemental activity ideas are included for your reference and use.  A course syllabus will be available upon registration. 

Week One- What is History? Archeologists, Ice Age, Mesopotamia, Nomadic vs.  Agrarian, Nile River Delta, First People: Hunter/ Gatherers, Cave Paintings, Great Migrations, Early Farming Methods & Inventions, Arts and Crafts, Buildings & First Cities: Catal Hyuk, Jericho

Week Two- Mesopotamia and Sumer: Dictatorship, Ziggurat, Artwork of Babylon, Cuneiform, How is Time Recorded? The Bronze Age, Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh, Mummification, Canopic Jars, Pyramids, Hieroglyphs, Papyrus

Week Three- Israelite Nation- Origin of Jews: Abram, Jacob, Egypt, Moses, Exodus: Arab Nation- Ishmael; Solomon’s Temple, Hittites, Assyria, Siege on Jerusalem, Libraries of Nineveh; Babylon: Code of Hammurabi, Beginnings of Government: Natural Law vs. Rulers Law

Week Four- Indian citadel cities- Indus Valley, Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Citadel; China: Shang Dynasty- Bronze Age, Silk worm farming, Chinese Pictograms; African Civilizations on Sahara; Anansi tales

Week Five- Ancient Egypt: Middle & New Kingdoms, Hyksos Invasion; Thutmose, Hatshepsut, Amenhotep, Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamen

Week Six- Ancient Trade on Mediterranean, Phoenicians, Trade, Carthage; Destruction/ War; Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar, Hanging Gardens, Beginnings of Government: Natural Law vs. Rulers Law, Babylonian Concepts Used Today

Week Seven- AAncient Crete & Minoans- First Navy of Bronze Age; Theseus & Minotaur, Lost City of Atlantis; Myceneans, Beehive Tombs; Bronze Age: War and Weapons, Greek Alphabet; Stories of Homer- Illiad & Odyssey; Greek Olympic Beginnings 

Week Eight- PPersian Empire: Medes, Cyrus the Great; Classical World- Greek city-states: Athens, Sparta; Greek Gods, Scytale Cipher, Archimedes Inventions, Thales

Week Nine- Battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis; Parthenon & Greek Architecture; Peloponnesian Wars; Alexander the Great’s Accomplishments/ Legacy & Successors; Fourth Wonder of the World: Pharos & Underwater Archeological Finds of Alexandria; Petra, Jordan; Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

Week Ten- American Civilizations: Nazca, Olmecs, Mayas, India: Aryan Influence, Hinduism, Caste System, Mauryan Empire, Siddartha, Buddhism, Jakarta Tales, China- Qin Dynasty- Society and Government: Confucius, Great Wall of China; Terra Cotta Soldier Grave; Tomb of Shi Huangdi

Week Eleven- Founding & Rise of Rome; Tale of / Remus; Etruscans; Fasces; Forms of Government; Religion: Roman Gods/ Myths; Planets; Coliseum; Gladiators; Roman Influence & Architecture- aqueducts, roads, baths, apartments; Mt. Vesuvius: Pompeii; Punic Wars: Carthage, Hannibal

Week Twelve- Political structure of Roman Republic vs. today; rhetoric, consuls, triumvirate, Celts; Julius Caesar: First Triumvirate, Pompey, military coup; Crossing the Rubicon, Veni, Vedi, Veci; Ides of March, ‘e tu’ Brute?’ Octavian Augustus: First Citizen

Week Thirteen- Pax Romana; Roman family life; Roman Army: War and Weapons, Day in Life of Roman Soldier; Judea & Palestine: Beginnings of Christianity; Jewish Revolt; Masada; zealots; Emperors Nero; Christian persecution; catacombs

Week Fourteen- Roman Emperors; Hadrian’s wall; Celts; Roman Empire divides- Emperor Constantine becomes Christian; Constantinople; Roman aqueducts; Decline of Rome: ‘Breads and Circus’, Atilla the Hun; Visigoth/ Barbarian invasion; ‘e plurabus unum’; Roman contributions

Week Fifteen- Final Presentations